Melbourne Village Voice November 2017

END OF AN ERA AS SID, 95, DIES

by JOHN WILLIAMS

MELBOURNE lost one of its muchloved personalities when Sid Gregson died on November 6

Sid, proprietor of The Welcome Cafe, passed away peacefully at home among his family and above the business he had begun in those premises in August 1948

Next year would have seen the celebration of an astonishing 70 years’ service from the establishment, known to many locals simply as ‘Sid’s Cafe’ and which has played a most valuable part in the life of our community for nearly 70 years

Sid Gregson came to Melbourne in 1948 after a spell as manager of Derby’s Rialto Ballroom

Trained as a baker, the war interrupted his career and he saw service with the RAFVR in Burma Returning to Derby he found his wife, Nora, who fortuitously was managing another ballroom; together they came to Melbourne to try a new venture – a cafe – at perhaps the worst possible time for UK caterers

Britain was suffering from rationing in even the most basic foodstuffs Sid recalled how he had to improvise with the meals, look for alternatives and try to manage the restrictions on caterers

Many Melbourne residents can still recall his home-made fruit ice lol-

300 up and still going strong

THIS edition, number 300, marks the 25th year of the Village Voice

lies which local children loved Cooked heart, baked marrow and liver and onions now appear only rarely on modern menus but, in 1948, Sid fed a hungry Melbourne with these available delicacies and with the unlimited supply of ration-busting vegetables with which the town was blessed

The Welcome Cafe lived up to its name A wide cross-section of the community went to eat at different times of the day

Breakfasts for working people were followed by morning coffee drinkers Next came the workforce from Melbourne Engineering, hungry for lunch Then came the senior citizens in search of inexpensive and nourishing dinners (in Derbyshire ‘dinners’ come in the middle of the day) and then came those looking for teas and homemade cakes in the afternoon

Many may also remember Sid Gregson as an outside caterer Sid’s team might be found providing food at football, dinners, weddings in marquees or soap box races Sid catered for events in Melbourne Hall and fishing contests on the banks of the river

At the same time his family grew with the arrival of daughter Jo, and his busy life started to include a great deal of charitable work for Rotary, Masonic appeals and Probus In addition, he became chairman and then president of Melbourne Old People’s Cont’d on Page 7

Heaths Story and more pictures on Page 3

It has been our privilege to have served the people of Melbourne and the surrounding villages throughout that time.

Local to the core, we are the only publication to have consistently and continually concentrated on bringing you news, features, sport and advertising together in a package unrivalled and unavailable anywhere else.

It gives us a sense of pride and pleasure to feel that the Village Voice has become an integral part of the fabric of Melbourne and the area over the past quarter of a century.

Our pages have recorded the district’s ever-changing times and, although many familiar things have disappeared, we are still going strong For that we are indebted to our loyal advertisers, distributors and contributors, old and new, without whose support none of this would have been possible.

Here’s to the next 25 years of our life it’s good to have you along for the journey

l Two-year-old Jacob Stevenson from Chellaston with his chosen pumpkin from the pick-yourown-day at

l Sid Gregson with grandson Alex Slater and daughter Jo outside the cafe

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a prize draw for pupils

CHILDREN at Melbourne Infant School took part in a Hallowe’en drawing competition organised by Sainsbury’s

Children paid £1 each to take part and Sainsbury’s staff picked four winners

Store manager Gary Dunne said: “We are pleased to have the infant school PTA as our Local Charity of the Year and this event is one of many fund-raising activities we have planned to raise funds for the PTA.”

Melbourne Infant School head Charlotte Gibbs is joined by Gary Dunne and Dawn McKay, from Sainsbury’s, with the four winners of the colouring competition.

New shock for visa nightmare couple

THE Melbourne couple caught up in a deportation nightmare for nearly two years have been hit with a fresh bombshell – they must go back to South Africa to start their fight to stay in Britain all over again

The battle is far from over for Clive and Yvonne Karusseit, of Packhorse Road, who have been trying to get permanent residency in this country since the back end of 2015

The couple had fled violence in their home country of South Africa and before that, Zimbabwe, where Yvonne’s brother, Terry Ford was murdered under the Mugabe regime in images beamed all over the world

Now the couple have been advised they must return to South Africa in order to start afresh the application process for their original visas

They fear that if they do so, they may never make it back to Britain

Added to that, Yvonne – who suffered a heart attack over the summer and had to have two stents fitted – is the registered carer for her mother, Eileen, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer ’s Disease and Parkinson’s and is looked after at home

‘Open church’ celebration

THE Rev’d Tony Luke, Rector of St James’ at Swarkestone, is pictured with some members of the team who joined together to host an ‘Open Church Afternoon’.

The event was in celebration of harvest and to welcome people to view the church and the proposed new plans for development, which include a kitchenette, a community room and a WC

The church thanked Barbara Foster, honorary secretary of the Derbyshire Archaeological Society, who displayed information on how the church has developed over the years

“I am not going back,” said Yvonne, who originally had an ancestral visa through her British antecedents

“I don’t care what they say, I’m not leaving mum on her own I’m terrified to go back after all that’s happened to us

“It’s a horrible situation, it’s worse now than it was A lot of people think we’re safe and, when I tell them we’re not, they’re shocked

“They can put me in jail, I don’t care, but I’m not going back – I can’t go back there ”

Clive and Yvonne’s nightmare began when they were applying for indefinite leave to remain visas and rang up the number on the form to inquire whether they were required to sit the English test, as English is their first language

Having been told they would be informed should this be a requirement, the pair went on and applied for their visas but were then stunned to be turned down several months later on the grounds of not having sat the test

“It’s terrible, absolutely shocking, I can’t believe (this is happening) because of an English test,” said Yvonne

Things rapidly went downhill when Clive was unable to work, his visa having then

expired

The Karusseits were eventually granted temporary compassionate visas on the grounds of the fact they care for Yvonne’s mother (whose grandfather was British)

Now Clive is back at work, but Yvonne has had her carer ’s allowance withdrawn and has been told she must work herself in order to apply for her own visa – despite doctor ’s orders she should not exert herself following the heart attack

As for the violence in their home country and Zimbabwe – Yvonne, who had her wrist broken in three places in one attack – said:

“They (the Home Office) won’t know what it’s like to come back home and see your mother having been attacked

“I have these flashbacks and nightmares and all sorts about it happening again ”

You can support Clive and Yvonne by signing their petition

You don’t have to be online, just have an email address to register your name: https://www change org/p/theresa-may-urg e n t - p e t i t i o n - g r a n t - c l i v e - a n d - y v o n n ekarusseit-indefinite-leave-to-stay-visas –

Lucy Stephens

n See Village Voice Postbox on Page 20

Developers lose their appeal over housing

THE long-awaited appeal decision on Melbourne’s proposed Blackwell Lane housing development, announced on November 3, means the site will NOT be built on

The appeal against the decision to refuse permission to build 15 houses was dismissed by planning inspector Mr G P Jones

The application for planning permission had been lodged in 2014 on behalf of trustee groups associated with Melbourne Hall but was turned down by South Derbyshire District Council in September 2016, and subsequently appealed in March this year

Two main issues were considered by the inspector: the effect of the proposal on the designated heritage assets and whether or not the site would be an appropriate location for housing, having regard to the local development plan and the National Planning Policy Framework

On the first issue the inspector concluded

HEATHS farm shop and nursery was a sea of orange as it held its second ever Pick Your Own Pumpkin day.

Crowds of people flocked to the Woodhouses nursery to choose their own pumpkins ready for Hallowe’en.

The team at Heaths, which has now been going for more than a century, planted the pumpkins in June and hundreds were picked on the day Brian Heath said: “When the leaves die back and you start seeing the pumpkins emerging, it really is a beautiful sight.”

that “the proposal would represent development in the countryside that would give rise to less than substantial harm to the significance of designated heritage assets, particularly the Melbourne Conservation area but also a listed wall Therefore, it would not accord with the development plan and would not comply with key social and environmental facets of sustainable development”

On the second issue, the inspector considered the policies contained in South Derbyshire Local Plan part 1 and the emerging Plan part 2, one of which limits development to within the existing settlement boundary

He concluded that while there were some benefits from the development they “would be relatively modest and would not outweigh the harm to the significance of the Melbourne Conservation Area and listed walls”

He deemed that it would not accord with the relevant guidance in the Planning

Framework nor policies in Local Plans

“These policies seek, among other matters, to protect, preserve and enhance heritage assets and their settings, including preserving important views and open spaces in conservation areas ”

The decision will be welcomed by those who objected to the original application

Councillor Jim Hewlett, who is chair of the Housing and Community Services committee at SDDC, said: “I welcome the planning inspector ’s decision, which concluded that the benefit of new housing would not outweigh the harm to the Melbourne Conservation Area and in particular the view towards the village from Blackwell Lane

“This will help to preserve the historic character of our community A significant factor in the decision was that the district council’s Local Plan was virtually complete, providing the five-year supply of new housing required by the Government ”

– Frank Hughes

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DOG FOULING IN THE CEMETERY

The Parish Council has received complaints about dog fouling in the Cemetery. There is no objection to dogs being in the Cemetery but they should be kept on tight leads; extendable dog leads are prohibited. Any dog fouling that does take place should be cleared up immediately by the dog’s owner/companion. There are plenty of bins within and around the Cemetery.

ABOVE: Evie and Maisie Higginson from Melbourne LEFT: George Ormsby, from Melbourne, wheels away his chosen pumpkins.

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Jo is talk of the town

voted the best in Britain at her job

A MELBOURNE instructor who runs classes helping babies and tots communicate before they can talk has been voted the best at her job in Britain.

Jo Clark, who runs baby and toddler classes at Melbourne Assembly Rooms as part of the well-known TinyTalk company, has won the 2017 National TinyTalk Top Teacher Award for her work The classes are attended by parents with their babies, who are taught signs so they can make themselves understood

Jo said: “I am so proud to have received the top TinyTalk Teacher award It’s the best job in the world and I love my TinyTalkers and their families Helping babies to learn to communicate with their families before they can speak is so very rewarding ”

TinyTalk was started in 2002 by primary school teacher Katie Mayne, also a teacher of the deaf, who successfully used British

Sign Language to communicate with her first born Today across Britain there are more than 500 baby signing and toddler talking classes a week under the TInyTalk banner, run by 120 teachers with more than 7,000 young families taking part Children generally start talking between one year old and 18 months but from the age of about six months can use their hands to talk about what’s going on in their head

Popular signs for TinyTalk babies to learn are “milk”, “food”, “book”, and “duck” and parents often find those dreaded tantrums can be avoided if their little ones are able to sign what they want – a drink, for example

Jo teaches her classes British Sign Language signs, using puppets, shakers, language activities, book time and a parachute – Lucy Stephens

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Country Living with Robert Parker

ACCORDING to new Environment

Secretary Michael Gove, parts of Britain’s farmland are just 30 to 40 years away from becoming barren wastelands.

Intensive farming, chemical sprays and the use of heavy machinery are, he says, leading to an eradication of basic soil fertility

Mr Gove has always been a controversial politician and until this outburst I thought him to be a fairly sensible level-headed person Not, I must say, my view now.

The vast majority of farmers care deeply about their land and its future. As with the football hooligan syndrome, only a small minority seem to ignore the dangers The last few years have seen a massive mood swing to improve our soils, be it a return to mixed farming or adding extra vital organic matter to land.

This can take the form of livestock, manure, compost, sewage sludge, and now we are seeing cover crops being grown to incorporate into the soil

The issue of heavy machinery is a problem, but most farmers will be seen to be remedying this with deep cultivation once every four or five years. The use of chemicals, especially inorganic nitrogen, is reducing year on year, basically because of its

cost

Crop protection sprays used in our country are some of the most tested in the world for human and animal damage. If these products were suddenly withdrawn, we would see basic foodstuffs in short supply and some large increases in their costs. I, and a lot of other farmers, are confused and somewhat aggrieved by pronouncements of this sort and just wonder how our future fits in with this n The advent of Brexit brings an uncertain future for the UK and not least farming Recently a piece of EU legislation created problems with grain sales in the middle of harvest with wheat going into biofuel production

No grain moved to these plants for a week and eventually the mandarins gave an extra extension until November to allow trade to continue. This was not before thousands of tonnes of wheat were imported from the rest of the EU to conform to standards.

Can anyone explain to me how bringing ship loads of grain from abroad is good business and environmentally sound just because some unelected bureaucrats can’t get their backsides into gear?

The sooner we vacate this “club” the better

SCARY times were afoot at Melbourne’s Royal British Legion for a Hallowe’en Party

Some real life creepy crawlies went along as well as people to dress up in their scary best.

The event on October 28 saw a visit by Bugs n’ Bones, a company which offers interactive animal experiences with their collection of snakes, geckos and even a tarantula – which children attending the party had a chance to hold if they dared!

Guests young and old pushed the boat out with their creepiest costumes to enjoy the evening’s festivities

Willow tree order gets their goat

NOVEMBER’S Melbourne

Parish Council meeting welcomed a new member, Cllr Carol Fearria, to fill a vacancy

Carol has lived in Kings Newton for 17 years, and, having taken early retirement from her position as principal of the Nottingham Emmanuel School, said she had “decided to make a commitment to serve the local community”

FRANK HUGHES reports from Melbourne Parish Council’s latest meeting

The meeting was addressed by Karen Grewcock, speaking on behalf of the Senior Citizens Committee about the goat willow tree by the entrance to the centre which is causing hazards

Having notified South Derbyshire District Council (SDDC) of their wish to cut down the tree, officials had bizarrely decided to make a Tree Preservation Order to prevent that happening

Cllr Dave Smith neatly summed up the situation: “The wood is of no use to anyone, the tree is prone to split and spread and it’s not much more than a weed It’s staggering that no-one from SDDC has done their homework ”

Along with the rest of the council, he supported Karen’s endeavours to get this overturned n County councillor Linda Chilton reported that nominations were open for Derbyshire Youth Council for those aged 11 to 18 and interested in citizenship and civic duty; she informed that community groups were invited to bid for grants now available; Derbyshire County Council (DCC) were

seeking views on their budget survey; and that civilian parking enforcement officers would be in Melbourne on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings

Her report that DCC intended to address the parking problem near Melbourne Sporting Partnership by laying double white “no overtaking” lines down Cockshut Lane was dismissed as ineffective by others, who wanted to see double yellow no parking lines installed n Cllr John Harrison said SDDC had updated their website, making it easier to navigate and access information, such as which bin day it is

Local Plan Part 2 had been approved very recently, which will provide definitive guidance on planning applications, with South Derbyshire’s share of housing commitment now agreed at 576 homes to add to the Part 1 commitment

Two planning appeals had been rejected, one at 62A Derby Road, and another on Blackwell Lane; the wall adjacent to the jitty beside the Lothian Garden had now been repaired and the pathway reopened

He also gave details of crime figures for August for Melbourne, which amounted to 13 crimes under seven categories

n The remaining business covered hanging baskets, public toilet risk assessments, CCTV audits, and dog problems in the cemetery, which will be addressed through a trial period locking the gates during dark winter evenings

n COFFEE was drunk and cake eaten – and it was all for a great cause Melbourne resident Judith Lakin held her annual

coffee morning fund-raiser for Rainbows Children’s Hospice in Loughborough at the Thomas Cook Hall.

Judith has held the coffee

morning for the past few years, having once attended a talk given by a Rainbows member of staff. This year ’s event raised £262.

n LET’S all give a big yee ha – the theme for next year ’s Melbourne Fete and Carnival will be all things USA

The theme for the summer bonanza was announced at the annual cheque presentation evening at the Royal British Legion, at which 30 local charities received money raised from the proceedings this year

Grateful recipients included local scouting and brownie organisations, Melbourne United FC plus the Melbourne Junior and Infant schools.

This year ’s Miss Melbourne, Iman Willmore, was there to hand over the cheques She was accompanied by attendants Lilly and Ava.

Guests enjoyed a slide show and buffet, plus a speech by this year ’s guest of honour, Kevan Hind

Next year ’s fete and carnival will be held on July 14.

End of an era with death of Sid Gregson

Cont’d from Page 1 Welfare Centre and played an increasing part in other charity fund-raising

Sid' s reputation as a tireless charity fund-raiser was eventually recognised when he was awarded the very prestigious Paul Harris Award by his Rotary colleagues for services to the community As time passed Melbourne slowly realised what benefits Sid had brought in

1948 and local affection for the cafe grew

Eventually, the Welcome Cafe became a central pillar in the life of this community Now run by Sid's daughter, Jo, and assisted by Alex, Sid's grandson, the cafe caters for a very wide variety of our citizens, with a home delivery service for the elderly and housebound

Despite being 95 Sid was often seen walking through the

village, very smartly dressed and often with his companion, Sheila His energy was astonishing

So much of the past has fallen away Sid was able to recall how much Derby Road had changed The grocers, drapers, tobacconists and gent's outfitters of yesterday have vanished but The Welcome continues, doing what Sid designed it to do

Causeway at risk – report

THE Grade 1 listed Swarkestone Causeway is at risk from traffic volumes, according to a new survey by Historic England – as the latest council figures reveal that weight restriction signs have so far resulted in just short of a fifth fewer overweight lorries crossing the venerable bridge

The causeway has been given the lowest priority listing on the document as it is the subject of a repair scheme, and the listing reads: “River bridge and causeway combine to form the largest surviving stone bridge in England Spans River Trent Medieval with alterations in C18 Bridge at risk from the volume of traffic Unacceptable damage to parapets occurring from regular road traffic accidents Further traffic calming measures and enforcement of weight restrictions are required Repair and maintenance programme underway within the terms of a management agreement ” Village Voice asked Derbyshire County Council if there were any available figures that might indicate the effectiveness of weight restriction signs installed on either side of the bridge earlier this year

The signs were put up in the spring, and flash when vehicles cross that are over the 7 5 tonne weight restriction limit

It was suggested at the time that the signs did not go far enough to solve the problem of overweight HGVs crossing the bridge and that CCTV would be a better solution

Cllr Simon Spencer, Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, said: “Since the installation of the flashing electronic warning signs in April there are several impending prosecutions and we continue to work with our trading standards team and the police to monitor the type and volume of traffic using the bridge, which continues to rise

“The positive news is that the number of overweight lorries using it is decreasing Between March and October there has been an 18% drop – nearly a fifth less – in the number of oversized vehicles recorded using the bridge compared to the same period in 2016

“We have also reviewed the signage on the approach roads to the bridge which warn of the 7 5 tonne weight limit and advise overweight vehicles to find alternative routes

“We continue to monitor what’s working and what’s not and will make any necessary adjustments when resources become available ”

l Scenes from Star Wards – A Space Oddity.

Players come up with another winner to send us home happy

COLIN BARKER gives his verdict on the latest production performed by St Michael’s Players.

HERE we go again with our very own St Michael’s Players giving another epic show titled: Star Wards – A Space Oddity, at the Melbourne Assembly Rooms

I feel that, because of the characters portrayed, this was possibly one of the most difficult shows the Players have performed Therefore, I give full credit to the writers, Harry Davies, Margaret Gildea, Frank Hughes and Gordon

Hughes

The storyline, a ‘local take’ on a number of establishments such as Blatch’s, Birds, Wards, The Wheel, Forteys, Amalfi White, Melbourne Garage (my nephew’s car made a guest appearance), the dentist, Rococo, and of course the parish church, to name but a few, was an ‘everyday story of countryfolk’ invaded by Galactic travellers from Star Wars (Wards) and Star Trek

They descended on the poor downtrodden people of Melbourne, Kings Newton, Ticknall and Stanton-by-Bridge, wreaking havoc and despair

For the players to pull it off,

they created a host of characters including, from Star Wars, R2-D2, C-3PO, Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Princess Leia, Kylo Ren, Chewbacca, stormtroopers and of course not forgetting (the mispronounced)

Obi-Wan Kenobi; and from Star Trek, Captain James T Kirk, Spock, Sulu, Dr McCoy (Bones) and a dangerous looking female version of Mr Scott (Scotty)

I won’t single out any individual performance but will say that one character in particular stood out more than others

The show provided the usual St Michael’s hilarious twists and turns throughout with our esteemed rector of the parish

church, Steve Short, being the brunt of ‘mickey taking’

But have faith, Steve – this means you have been adopted by the community

I am extremely impressed and in awe that a local amateur group was capable yet again of ‘pulling it off ’ and sending audiences home feeling very happy and contented after another very special evening How positive it was to see younger members of the community participating, so if others are out there, now’s your chance to join A very ‘well done’ to the St Michael’s Players for a super show – can’t wait for the next

Melbourne Legion hosts launch of Poppy Appeal

“IT WAS a great honour for Melbourne to be chosen this year for the launch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) annual poppy appeal,” said the chairman of the Melbourne branch, Kevin Iliffe

The event at the Assembly Rooms in Melbourne was opened by the county chairman of the RBL, Phil Skawski, who stressed the importance of the annual appeal in supporting “those who were broken in body, spirit or in mind” as a result of involvement in conflict “and the widows and children” of armed service personnel

Across the country the poppy ap-

peal raised £50million in 2016, and he hoped this year would exceed that figure, with every penny going to the beneficiaries

Kevin outlined exactly what remembrance meant in Melbourne; he highlighted the growing attendance on Remembrance Day, how it brought the whole community together, and how the fallen, not just from the two world wars, were honoured and commemorated

“Melbourne will always remember them,” he concluded

The event also saw the local launch of the ‘Poppy Project’ which is the brainchild of Viv Toon, to commemo-

rate the 7,000 people from Derby who lost their lives in World War One

Viv is intending to create an installation of 7,000 knitted poppies for November next year, the centenary of the end of the conflict, with each poppy representing a life lost

A “wall” of 85 knitted poppies has been created at the Assembly Rooms to represent those from Melbourne who fell in the First World War Honoured guests, including Gordon Foddy and Frank Green, both veterans of World War Two, along with family members of others who lost their lives in World War One were invited to pin the first poppies onto the installation

The RBL’s community fund-raiser Lilly Clements said she was delighted to launch Derbyshire’s Poppy Appeal in Melbourne

“The RBL’s support takes many forms, and happens in unexpected ways and places The work is as valid today as much as it ever was, and by wearing a poppy you are supporting the armed forces community both past and present

“The poppy is a symbol of remembrance and also of hope The symbolism of the flower blooming on the devastated battlefields of Europe connects the poppy with that message of hope ”

The audience was also introduced to 10-year-old Grace Sharratt, as the youngest poppy seller, who had been selling poppies since she was three, and was then treated to a stirring selection of brass music from Melbourne Town Band to round off the evening

– Frank Hughes

n AS THE poppies fell from the parish church’s bell tower during a minute’s silence in tribute to the fallen during the first Festival of Remembrance in Melbourne, it provided a stunning backdrop equal to London’s Albert Hall event for the audience of over 200

The event, organised by the Melbourne branch of the Royal British Legion, was a delight to attend with an inspiring combination of pomp, ceremony, pageantry and musical talent that included performances by the Melbourne Town Band, the Drum Corps, the infant school choir, opera singer Rosie Braddy, songwriter Phil Bagley and the Open Road, who performed songs from the World War 1 based musical, The Same Sky Musical director of the event Brendan O’ Neill said: “My thanks go to all the performers and volunteers who made the day so special; planning is already underway for a similar spectacular in 2018 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War ”

All proceeds will go to the Poppy Appeal

l Frank Green and Gordon Foddy receiving poppies from Grace Sharratt

GOING BACK IN TIME –

THIS month’s history shot is believed to have been taken of Melbourne’s first Remembrance Day parade in 1919

The procession is pictured on Derby Road and due to the absence of parked cars, it takes up the whole width of the road

Participants in today’s Remembrance Day parade through Melbourne can only march three abreast because of the number of cars.

At the time, Melbourne boasted two bands – the town band and players attached to the baptist church.

The photo is from a private collection in Melbourne.

Appeal for exposures witnesses

POLICE officers are asking for witnesses as they investigate three cases of sexual exposure in Barrow-on-Trent

The incidents happened in Deepdale Lane in October and follow similar reports of a man exposing himself near Etwall

PC Joe Stafford, from the Hilton, Hatton and Etwall Safer Neighbourhood Team, who is investigating the incidents, said: “We are concerned about these incidents and are determined to trace the suspect

“There are similarities to the incidents earlier in the month near Etwall and we are investigating the possibility that they are linked

“The only description we have of the suspect in Barrow-on-Trent is that he was a white man

“I would ask that if anyone has witnessed similar incidents and hasn’t reported it to us that they now do so I would also make a plea that if anyone with a dashcam, who regularly drives along that route, check their footage to see if it has picked anything up that they may have missed whilst driving ”

If you think you can help please contact Joe on 101, quoting reference number 17000444289

SANTA’S VISITS TIMESCALE

THE programme for Santa and his helpers to visit Melbourne area households this year as follows:

Sunday, December 10, starting at 5pm: Oaklands Way, The Woodlands, Nettlefold Crescent, Smith Avenue, Main Street Kings Newton, Station Road, Sweet Leys Way Estate, Huntingdon Court

Monday 11, starting at 6pm: Derby Road, Blanchcroft, George Street, Dunnicliffe

Experience your festive feast locally with Tori and Ben’s Farm.

Local free range bronze turkeys, Packington Cockerals, local duck and geese, Dry Aged Longhorn Beef, home reared grass fed lamb, Packington pork and chicken and so much more.

We will be celebrating Christmas all week ensuring your visit is festive and warm.

Gypsy site plan for Aston

A PERMANENT encampment for six gypsy families could be heading for land near Aston-on-Trent, if planners agree

The application has been put forward for a residential caravan site on current agricultural land to the north-west of Shardlow Road, and the plans are currently with South Derbyshire District Council where they will be decided on at a future planning committee meeting

The proposal is for each family to have a big enough pitch for two caravans and two vehicles plus two more amenity buildings containing kitchen, laundry, bathroom and toilet facilities

The plans have attracted a mixed response from the local community, with objections centred around the fact that the site would mean a loss of farming land and is outside the settlement boundary as identified by South Derbyshire District Council’s Local Plan

There is also a concern about access as the site is on a 60mph road, and the pressure on schooling Draft minutes from Aston-on-Trent Parish Council’s October meeting state that, so far, the parish council has been copied in on 45 objections

However, earlier this year a petition was also sent into the Government calling on Whitehall to grant the caravan site, saying it was a “muchneeded permanent residential caravan site” and that “the village with its 1,200-plus residents would agree that the village would greatly benefit from the diversity a gypsy following would bring”

The petition was rejected on the grounds that the Government is not responsible and that the decision rests with the local council

A design and access statement by chartered town planners Philip Brown Associates Ltd said there was still “a significant unmet need” for gypsy pitches in South Derbyshire, based on the fact that the 2014 Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment estimated a need for 38 residential pitches for gypsy families between 2014 and 2034, of which 14 should be provided within the first five years and the next seven between 2019-2024

The Annual Monitoring Report 2014-5 indicates that only one pitch was approved during those 12 months and a further five had been approved at Woodville Road in Overseal

– Lucy Stephens

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING NIGHT

PLANS for Melbourne’s Christmas shopping evening are near completion, Paul Willmore told the November parish council meeting.

The date is set for Friday,

December 1, with the usual stalls and fair rides. A “prosecco palace” had also been booked

The usual road closures at the Market Place, Chapel Street and Potter Street

would be effective from 4pm to 9pm, with the lighting of the tree taking place at 6pm He was just awaiting final confirmation that Santa Claus could make both the date and the time

Refurbishment Clearance event now on….

Huge savings on Designer Rugs, soft furnishings and ex-display beds . See in-store for more details!

FABCO are excited to announce expansion plans for their store in Ashby De La Zouch: They are planning to increase their offering of beds, including the all-new Sealy 2018 collection, along with exciting new models from Relyon and Gainsborough. There’s also Exciting new British-made furniture collections to be added, for even more choice for your home. In an effort to make room for the work to commence starting 20 November, they MUST clear many display models and ALL rugs are reduced by a minimum of 50% off their ticket prices - these are GENUINE clearance offers, so please DO NOT miss this opportunity to secure high quality products at greatly reduced prices!

There really is nowhere quite like FABCO, so why not pop in for a coffee, a chat and let them turn your dreams and ideas into a reality! They are open 7-days a week and are located next to Aldi, opposite Pets at Home and Wickes.

MODELS young and old walked the catwalk in Melbourne to raise more than £1,200 for patients being treated for cancer

The show was held in Melbourne Assembly Rooms and was produced by local dress agencies Best Kept Secret and Frocks & Frippery

Compered by Margaret Gildea, the show raised money for Macmillan Cancer Support and included 90-year-old Millie Pass modelling with the best of them!

With a range of outfits and accessories shown for all styles, sizes and budgets, show producers would like to thank teams from the bar, back stage and front of house, along with Pete Gough, Melbourne Community Care, Melbourne Assembly Rooms, members of the local community who donated clothes rails and the audience who went along on the night

Have you got the bottle to help?

AN AMBITIOUS new eco-friendly community roundhouse is to be built in Melbourne in the spring – now all that’s needed to make it happen is 9,000 empty wine bottles!

Nearly 200 people stepped forward to become shareholders of Whistlewood Common earlier this year as directors of the innovative green project on 10 acres of land on the outskirts of Melbourne announced their latest venture: a new building for the community made out of eco materials

The new shareholders raised £34,000 by the deadline, and this was match funded by Power to Change – an arm of the National Lottery

While that was not enough to get the roundhouse built, now Power to Change have agreed to step in with a further £47,000 –which represents match funding of Whistlewood’s original share offer when it started four years ago It is a move that was agreed at the society’s AGM at the Senior Citizens’ Centre in Melbourne on October 18

Building is due to begin in March and the meeting heard how one

Roundhouse illustration: JO LITCHFIELD

more unusual design materials will be 9,000 empty wine botany may not previously have considered it, but placed vertinder a floor they make remarkably effective insulators stlewood was born out of Melbourne Area Transition, part of nal network aiming to respond to climate change by promottainability within communities ham Truscott, one of Whistlewood’s directors, told the meete have achieved such a lot in four years; the thought of where ht be in the next four years is incredible ” ng several “pretty bleak” statistics on the continuing depleanimals, wildlife and natural resources – for example, the at 90 per cent of the world’s lions have disappeared since he went on to say: “We can’t turn the clock back on the baref here in Melbourne, but maybe we can do something to inthe biodiversity of the wildlife here have got a response We are doing something very positive ry useful – here ”

stlewood’s share offer has been re-opened indefinitely and is welcome to buy a share in the community project To find ore, log on to http://www whistlewoodcommon org/buy-a-

project is also hoping to find funding to create an access track the community building will be fully accessible for everyone oposal is currently one of the projects being considered by viva Community Fund, and you can vote for it here: community-fund aviva co uk/voting/project/view/17-4076

y Stephens

Church Christmas Bazaar

any Christmas shopping yet? Melbourne Parish Church is g its Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, November 18, from noon in the Assembly Rooms

l Millie Pass with daughter Alyson Bloor.

THIS pair of diamonds from Breedon-on-the-Hill have just celebrated 60 years of married life

George and Jean Philipson, who moved to Breedon a couple of years ago to be near their younger son, Robert, and his family, celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on November 2

Jean, 82, and George, who will be 90 at the end of this year, first met as children in their home town of Consett near Durham, as their parents were friends

They got together when Jean was 18 and tied the knot four years later in 1957 Can they believe it’s been 60 years of happy married life? “I can’t believe it,” said Jean “I didn’t even realise it was our diamond wedding anniversary until my sister-in-law told me, because they were married the same year as us ”

George added: “Life concertinas, you don’t look back over years and years – it all seems to concertina a bit Your first job and your last job seem to be not far apart until you think about it ”

Not board about going to this club

THE steadily increasing trend for gaming has reached Melbourne – and there isn’t a screen in sight

Melbourne’s latest social club celebrates sitting round a table and playing games together, and the Village Voice went along to the first session at Kings Newton Bowls Club on November 2 to see what was what

Called “Board Games & Beer”, the over-18s club was set up by keen gamer and local tutor Ste Heath, who explained: “I like playing games and I was having to travel to Burton to do it, so I thought I’d set up something here

“I want there to be a night when people who perhaps don’t get a chance to play can come and play There’s lots of interaction, the social element is great – everyone gets involved ”

Around 30 people turned out to sit down together and play a selection of games from popular word game Banagrams – definitely not the same thing as Scrabble – to strategy games like Codenames and Hoax

Sue Tivey said: “I saw the advertisement outside and thought it would be something different and fun, and I’d meet some new people I’ve learned to play Hoax! It’s nice to play with other people because I’m always playing on my tablet or whatever ”

“It’s really good to play board games,” said fellow participant Dave Mitchell

“It’s another excuse for having a beer! If you’re going to go to the pub you don’t meet many new people; this is a really nice atmosphere It’s a bit more interactive than the pub ”

The playing of board games continues to rise with booming

The Chatsworth Collection

This classically styled British made collection has something for everyone and sits comfortably amongst either older or more modern furniture.

Crafted using traditional furniture making techniques and retaining features such as dovetailed drawers and solid wood construction throughout means each piece has a reassuring solidity.

The unique shaping and features on the cabinets, plinths, tops and frames all add to the elegant and attractive styling of this classic collection for the bedroom, living room, hall and kitchen.

sales and lots of games clubs and cafes popping up all over Britain as people discover the traditional delights of playing with counters, boards and, most importantly, other people

Nottingham now has two board game cafes to accommodate demand, the latest of which, Ludorati, opened just last year

Melbourne’s Board Games & Beer group is meeting at Kings Newton Bowls Club monthly –details of the next meeting have yet to be finalised The club is strictly for over-18s and there is a small charge for entry, which will go into buying more games for people to enjoy

For more information, see their Facebook page: Board Games and Beer Melbourne

So what’s the attraction of playing board games? “When we run out of electricity we’ll still all be playing board games by candelight,” said Dave Mitchell

Well, quite

– Lucy Stephens

l Ste Heath, Ollie Turner, Kim Smith and Jake Boddice playing Codenames

l Poker face: Sam Turner inspects his hand

OOD weather attracted the owds to this year ’s Melbourne akes – which included a Suny opening for the first time

The Wakes are run by the olland family, who have now en holding them in Melbourne r more than a century

Directly following Nottingm’s Goose Fair – also run by e Hollands – this year ’s event compassed a Sunday rather an Monday opening for the st time

Albert Holland said that this w venture had been a great ccess with lots of families and ung people coming out to joy the rides down on Castle uare “We had good weather and so had a Sunday opening,” he id “There were lots of families t there People always turn t for the fair in Melbourne, d the Sunday was successful r us ”

Orphanage project work ‘I will never forget’

STUDENTS from Chellaston Academy have been travelling to Uganda to work on the school’s orphanage project for the past 10 years. For those who go, the trip is emotionally draining, hard work but intensely rewarding, says sixth form pupil JOSH HYDE, who joined the group this summer. Here is his story.

AFTER nine months of fund-raising, collecting clothing donations and learning to brick lay, 25 students-turned-Simbas left for Uganda from Chellaston Academy

After approximately 24 hours of travelling and waiting, the Simbas arrived at Entebbe airport We stayed in a Catholic hostel on the outskirts of Kampala, the capital of Uganda, for most of the trip Our first visit was to M-lisada, formerly known as The John Dickens House, which was Chellaston’s first project in Uganda back in 2008

After a weekend to settle into the Ugandan way of life we started our building work at MYDEL McQuilton Academy where we had committed to building two classrooms, a medical room and an office in an extension to the existing building – a big task in only a few weeks

Over the first couple of weeks we laid bricks to create the rooms before we headed off to Jinja to let the cement dry off and the walls be plastered before we

could get painting

Bricklaying in Uganda is very different to at home, the bricks aren’t straight to start with and then they are tipped off a lorry in a heap where they break up a bit more The roof was already in place so that left seven walls for us to build including spaces for doors and windows

Our time in Jinja was emotionally draining but very rewarding – we taught lessons in a primary school and also visited a baby orphanage where babies were taken by families who could no

longer afford to keep them

It was in Jinja where we went white water rafting on the Nile; most of us managed to stay in our rafts some of us spent more time in the rapids!

Back in Kampala we set to work painting the academy inside and outside – perfect timing for a spectacular Ugandan thunderstorm! In between painting we did the most difficult parts of our trip – clothes drops in the slums and a visit to the street centre for homeless boys to seek refuge during the day

Help to keep society in picture

CALLING all past members of Melbourne Photographic Society

– you are needed to help one of the town’s oldest societies celebrate its forthcoming centenary

The photographic society was formed in 1921 and members are planning an exhibition to celebrate this achievement, depicting the organisation’s history

The society is asking for past members to come forward with any memories or copies of images to display at the exhibition

Seeing families with nothing so happy to receive an item of clothing really made me stop and think about how lucky I am

I met some important people in Uganda – politicians, religious leaders and land owners Chellaston is very well respected in Uganda for the work they do and we were privileged to be invited to spend time with these people

For me it was meeting the children who would be going to school or living in MYDEL that I will never forget

VISIT MELBOURNE’S ONLY

CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

The Christmas tree farm is located at Heaths Farm Shop in Woodhouses, Melbourne. We have traditional and non-drop trees from 1 foot to 30 foot to choose from.

CHRISTMAS TREE FARM OPEN 10AM - 4PM ON: 2ND & 3RD DECEMBER AND 9TH & 10TH DECEMBER

CHOOSE YOUR TREE WHILST IT’S GROWING TAKE IT HOME ON THE DAY OR GET IT DELIVERED 3000+ TREES TO CHOOSE FROM

Some of the committee names that members have so far found from the 1920s are: Rev W Price, T A Dallan, F S Tivey, O W Elms, H Chetwyn, J Moore, A Dunnicliffe and H Harrison, and members’ names from the past include: C Walker, R Hicklin, W Hatch, F Calow, H Ridgeway, T Calow, P Hastings and H Blackburn

The society would love to hear from anyone who recognises any of these names If they can find enough material, a book may be produced so that the information can be preserved for future generations

If you can help, please contact Melbourne Photographic Society secretary Lorraine Dowell at Lorraine@geoffdowell com

David’s a metal medal winner

HEAT, fire, the flames of the forge – the ancient craft of the blacksmith is all in a day’s work for Ticknall’s David Tucker, who has now been handed the industry’s highest accolade for his unique sculpture showcasing a medieval treasure hoard found in Derbyshire

David is one of several hundred blacksmiths working in Britain today, and many examples of his beautiful decorative work can be seen in and around this area

One of his most striking pieces is to be found in Buxton Museum: an iron sculpture of tumbling coins which houses the Kirk Ireton hoard, a collection of 13th century coins found by a metal detectorist in 2012

Dating from the reign of Henry III, the coins show the monarch’s head on the front while the reverse bears a distinctive pattern of a long cross going right to the edge – a medieval ruse to prevent criminals from filing off coin edges and melting them down

“The museum wanted something more interesting to display the coins than a box on the wall,” said David “I designed and made this dis-

End of Season

play case, taking key elements from the coins, and some of the text from them, blowing them up and making this piece with big metal discs ”

The sculpture contains a special magnifying lens so that the actual coins – which are tiny – can be viewed, and the whole thing is tactile so that blind people can enjoy it too

The Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths, itself an ancient institution whose origins are thought to date back to the 1300s, awarded David this year ’s Tonypandy Cup for his creation, pronouncing it “wonderfully original”

Named after former House of Commons Speaker and company member Lord Tonypandy, the cup is awarded annually to the blacksmith judged to have made the year ’s most outstanding piece of iron work

“I was honoured to win,” said David “It’s nice to win an award that previously has been won by blacksmith heroes of mine ”

David originally trained as an engineer but wanted to take his talents in a more creative direction, so undertook Britain’s first ever blacksmiths degree before starting out in 1984

Operating from a forge in Yeave-

ley, near Ashbourne, he designs and makes highly decorative work such as railings and gates, and his latest commission is a set of new gates which will shortly be put up outside St George’s Church in Ticknall

Does he ever get burned? “All the time!” he said “I’m forever being burned, you get used to it when you’ve been doing it long enough

“Generally speaking, though, it’s quite a safe career in that most of the dangers are fairly obvious Occasionally you do get sparks and things Most trained blacksmiths and student blacksmiths wear goggles and steel capped boots ”

David works extensively with the British Artist Blacksmith Association (BABA) to encourage more young people into the trade, and was recently featured on the BBC 4 programme Britain’s Lost Masterpieces – which featured the 18th century Derby artist Joseph Wright, who was fascinated by the forge and created some of his most striking paintings of these atmospheric dark spaces with blacksmiths’ faces lit up by the flames

“It really is a fabulous career,” said David “You’re being creative, you’re being physical, it’s got skill it’s got everything ” –

Lucy Stephens

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Parents on mobile phone app alert

PARENTS have been warned about a potentially dangerous mobile phone app – after reports that someone posing as a police officer was approaching children in an alarming incident starting in Barrow-upon-Trent

The warning was contained in a newsletter sent out by Chellaston Academy about a popular mobile phone app called ‘Sarahah’

The newsletter said: “The app is linked to Snapchat, and allows people to post anonymous comments on the photos of other users, which stay visible for 24 hours

“There have been many articles written about the dangers of sites such as these and the potential they have for allowing cyber-bullying to take place ”

It continued: “We also make you aware of reports that somebody posing as a police officer has been approaching children to talk to them This originated in Barrow-on-Trent

“The police are fully aware and our feeder schools have notified parents accordingly Please talk to your sons/daughters about the need for care and vigilance over who they speak to ”

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l David Tucker at work and (left and right) his awardwinning iron coins sculpture.

HARDWARE STORE

On your bike at Calke Abbey

CYCLISTS can explore the grounds of Calke Abbey from a whole range of new angles now that the project to extend the historic Tramway Trail has been finished

The newly extended trail was opened in October, part of a national £4 25million initiative by the National Trust and Sport England to deliver 10 cycling trails across the country

THIS IS IT - END OF THE LINE WHEN IT’S GONE IT’S GONE.

Melbourne Infant School

OPEN DAYS

Prospective parents and children are invited to look around the school - rated as outstanding by Ofsted

The route provides an all-weather circular path suitable for cyclists and walkers, and opens up new vistas and spaces of the grounds

l Margaret Whyte, head teacher of Dame Catherine Harpur School in Ticknall, with two children from the school, test out the new trail

With shorter rides within the woodland for young, beginner cyclists to longer loops for the more confident, the new route connects the two ends of the pre-existing Tramway Trail to provide a green-graded, off-road cycle track

The tramway was built between 1799 and 1802 to cart limestone to the canal at Ashby, and closed in 1915 Bordered by hawthorn and blackthorn hedges, the green highway is a rich food source and nesting site for small birds and mammals

The circuit opens up the historic tramway to more visitors to the estate and will provide direct connection to the new outdoor hub,

Retirement ‘village’ is opened

HUNDREDS of people turned out to Aston-on-Trent as the luxury retirement Richmond Villages opened its doors operationally for the very first time, after three years of building work and a cost of £40million

More than 400 people went to the site on October 14 to enjoy a champagne reception and see what was on offer

n LOCAL botanical artist Mick Lakin has just published a new book to inspire people of all ages. Mick’s third book “Beginner ’s Guide to Botanical Flower Painting” has tracings for people to colour in with paint, crayons or felt tips

The team at Richmond Villages said there had been a lot of interest in its “assisted living” accommodation with two of these properties sold on the day to people in the local area

While the official village opening is not happening until

the building of which starts next year

As previously reported in the Village Voice, the idea behind the outdoor hub and cycle trail is to accommodate increasing visitor numbers to Calke by creating attractions away from the main house and gardens

Stewart Alcock, Calke’s general manager, said: “As part of our ongoing work to improve access to the wider estate we are excited to open this extension to the Tramway Trail and look forward to welcoming many families on this accessible, family-friendly route ”

January 2018, three-quarters of the total range of properties have already been reserved

Facilities include a library, IT centre, terraced café, luxury restaurant plus 61-bed care home for elderly frail nursing care – set to open at the end of

this month – and dementia care, which will open early next year

The hundreds of people who visited looked around the facilities and even took to the centre’s croquet lawn to shoot a few hoops

STOCK AND FITTINGS (due to retirement) CLOSING DOWN SALE EVERYTHING MUST GO

Rain dis-solves powder puzzler

THE mysterious white powder which suddenly appeared along many paths around Melbourne in October remains just that – a mystery.

Pictures on social media showed a white powdery substance left strategically along several streets Dog owners were particularly concerned that it had been placed as poison, particularly in view of the incidents in March where dogs had fallen ill after being walked in Poppy Wood

Kristie Leanne Harper, who first posted the pictures on social media, said she had done so after spotting it when out hiding painted rocks with her little boy

“It caught my attention as

there was so much of it in piles, lines and circles dotted around the village,” she said

“They all seemed to be located at lampposts or fences, particularly on routes popular with dog walkers I posted the photos to see if anybody had an explanation as to what it might be as I was quite concerned it could be some kind of poison meant for dogs

“I thought the best way to spread the word and possibly find out what it could be was to post the photos on to the Melbourne Neighbourhood Watch page ”

An enquiry about the substance was raised with the environmental health department and it was understood that a sample had been sent for analy-

WELL DRESSERS MAKE GRAND GESTURES

THE chairman of Aston Bowls Club has accepted a cheque for £1,000 from this year ’s Aston Well Dressing event

Jim Ballington was handed the cheque from Aston Well Dressers treasurer Naomi Benham at the bowls club’s annual AGM and dinner at the White Hart in Aston

The well dressers chose the club to be the local charity recipient of donations received during this year ’s event in July

The well dressing ceremony also saw £1,000 donated to MIND

sis, but this proved not to be the case

A South Derbyshire District Council spokesman said: “After receiving the complaint, we took advice from our analytical lab on the practicalities of trying to identify an unknown substance

“The turnaround time for the completion of the analysis was 20 days and very soon after the complaint was made rainfall had washed away the residual powder, which is why we asked the local community for any further information they could offer We’ve not received any further reports of powder or any information about it having any ill effects ”

Various theories have been put forward One suggestion was that it was flour being laid as a trail for a social running club Another was that it was lime and baking powder, left to highlight where dog owners were failing to do their duty Either way, with a good shower of rain, the mystery white powder disappeared overnight As one wag remarked, it was lucky it was not a warm night, or they might have turned to dumplings

– Frank Hughes

THUMBS-UP FOR NEW CLASSROOM

PRIMARY school pupils from Weston-on-Trent are settling into their new classroom, part of a £300,000 development

Children from the year five Kingfisher class are now installed in the new purpose-built classroom, a development which includes a new outdoor learning area too

Giving the new classroom the thumbs-up, 10year-old pupil Elizabeth said: “It was really exciting to be moving in and I couldn't wait ”

Construction work has also included the redevelopment of facilities such as children’s toilets and generally enhancing the learning provision, with both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 children in mind

Head teacher Ben O’Connell said he was delighted with the new development and that it en-

hanced the sense of space around the school

“The new classroom is a fantastic addition to the facilities we can offer at Weston on Trent Church of England (Aided) Primary School,” he said

“The school building on this site is just over 10 years old, and we were lucky that we had the space within the grounds of the school to accommodate the new classroom without losing valuable playground space

“Miss Brown’s Kingfisher class have moved in and it already feels like home for them – which is important, as SATs aren’t that far away, and the continuity of their education is of paramount importance to us ”

Funding for the construction work at the school was paid for by Derbyshire County Council

Village Voice Postbag

Disabled access issue

EACH time I read your paper, I marvel at the many members of the Melbourne community who are ready, willing and able to organise and arrange so many different exhibitions, shows, celebrations and clubs

Something seems to happen almost each week throughout the whole year and it attracts the public for miles around sometimes

A few weeks past, one of my very caring nieces and her kind husband, lovingly invited me, together with my inevitable wheelchair, to accompany them to the “Art Festival” I gladly accepted Out of the house for a few hours and for one of my favourite subjects too

How I later wished I had declined the offer Why? Because on this occasion, the organisers had not given thought to those of us who are unfortunately restricted Also, the subject my nephew and I were most hoping to see was old, old pictures depicting the then “village” of Melbourne, the market gardeners’ country and its progress through the century For one reason, my nephew had actually worked there with one of the market garden families for a few years in the past

We had a handbook, but even that was misleading and we only found two photographs, not really old, by the history of lettuce After one hour and 10 minutes and riding up, down and round to find a parking place (no-one’s fault) and the long lasting heavy rain showers (also no-one to blame) we were all three absolutely disgusted with the organisers to discover that many of the venues were inaccessible and some even not available to wheelchairs This meant that because my family had so kindly taken me, it disallowed them to take a look at what was available How awful that made me feel!

Two things helped to improve the whole afternoon – the beautiful view of The Pool from up above in the Hall garden – or was it the Vicarage? And lastly the delicious tea, coffee and handmade cakes at the Hall Tea Rooms Scrumptious!

Joyce Baugh (aged

Barrow-on-Trent

92)

n Thank you Village Voice for passing on Mrs Baugh’s letter and offering us a right of reply We take all feedback of Melbourne Festival, negative as well as positive, very seriously and use the comments to improve the Festival in future years

We have contacted Mrs Baugh and acknowledged that we are aware that disabled access is an issue and that over the years we have given a good deal of thought to trying to improve disabled access in consultation with Community Care and Derbyshire Carers Association

One of the charms of Melbourne Art & Architecture Trail is that the art is exhibited in all kinds of buildings not just public buildings to highlight Melbourne’s beautiful architecture as well as the art

Most venues are private homes and gardens and as such unless homeowners have mobility issues themselves there can be problems for visitors who are in wheelchairs We do, however, have work in all of the public buildings which do have easy access Unfortunately if we only used buildings accessible to everyone we would be unable to use the majority of our venues, which would change the nature of the event

We are currently only half way through the For the Love of Lettuce Project about Market Gardening At Melbourne Festival our aim was to give a flavour of Melbourne’s Market Gardening Heritage with 60 of the photographs taken over the past year of the present market gardeners displayed outdoors so that everyone can see them There were also photographs of the old market gardens and copies of interviews with people who worked in the Market Gardens in the Senior Citizens Centre, the School Room at the United Reform Church and the Assembly Rooms

We would like to reiterate that the team of volunteers who organise Melbourne Festival endeavour to create an event which is accessible and enjoyable for visitors of all ages, tastes and mobility and we take negative feedback very seriously

Sharon Brown, Melbourne Festival

Question of conscience

I HAVE to say that I haven t felt so annoyed and exasperated in years

I also didn't expect this wave of emotion to be triggered by a conversation on Melbourne s streets Issues like this don't often arrive here in such a powerful way and in a form which, I am sure, will provoke a similar reaction in many of your readers

Last week I met a Mrs Karusseit Her accent betrays her as someone brought up in the former Rhodesia or South Africa Enquiring a little further I was shocked to hear the horrific story of their flight, first from the corrupt and murderous regime of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe and latterly in the violence and threats of their interval in South Africa

It was shocking to hear how Mrs Karusseit's farmer brother, after a visit to his farm from those claiming to represent Mugabe’s sister, had been beaten, tortured and shot dead by a criminal gang while police claimed they could not attend I heard this lady describe an attack in South Africa that left her with an arm broken in three places She described other acts of violence against her and other members of her family and the death of her own father in the UK after the terrible news of the murder of his son

This family has British roots One grandfather fought the Boers So did mine She has a grandfather who fought in The Grenadier Guards in WW1 So did mine

Her family sent soldiers to the North African desert to fight Rommel in WW11 They have been a patriotic, loyal and courageous family for three generations Apart from a Dutch surname the rest of their world has been as English as my own

Now they are tired and ill They have come to Melbourne to care for a sick mother but also to

find some safety and security in their mother country However, astonishingly, this couple, from a family which came from these shores, had fought for this country and had answered Britain's call to colonise southern Africa now found their claim for citizenship denied by the Home Office and on the grounds that they had not been proven to speak English, their first language!

To try again they must return to the horrors of the country they left They are both sick and struggling for funds since all UK funding has been withdrawn So far all appeals have failed

So what about that?

It’s politically incorrect to observe that these people are our own people displaced by time and The Lancaster House agreement It’s not fashionable to point out that the great hope of anti- colonialism, Robert Mugabe, has become a tyrant and a monster since we, the Brits under Harold Wilson, put him in power

John Williams Melbourne

All-conkering

IN RESPONSE to your October article (Robert Parker ’s Country Living) regarding kids and conkers please be assured that the annual conker championships at Dame Catherine Harpur ’s School in Ticknall is alive and well

The children celebrated once again by gathering, stringing and bashing their conkers in the age-old fashion (with the addition of safety goggles of course!) to declare the overall winner Herbie Harmer, year 3, who held on to his title from last year!

Here’s to good old-fashioned fun!

Head teacher Margaret Whyte

Corey in running to be athletic sensation

MO Farah and Usain Bolt are the inspirations for a young runner from Westonon-Trent, currently up there with Britain’s best for his age.

Corey Rose, who turns 13 mid-November, is a promising young middle distance athlete who decided to take up running after watching enthralled the achievements of Mo Farah and Usain Bolt at the London 2012 Olympic Games

Now Corey trains with Derby Athletics Club, is a regular winner in both team relays and solo events at regional level and has been ranked amongst the top 100 in Britain

With a personal best of two minutes and 23 seconds over 800 metres and four minutes 53 seconds over 1500 metres, he’s already making great strides into the sport before hitting his teens

Corey, a pupil at Chellaston Academy, said he enjoyed running because it gave him an opportunity to meet people outside school

“I enjoy it because it’s a thing that I can do without any fuss,” he said

“I have other friends outside of school and I get to meet up with them I get to do competitions and things like that which

TRACK AND

Corey Rose shows the form that’s making him a rising star

make me feel happy and proud of myself ”

But as all top sports people know, success in any field comes after a lot of hard work and sweat

Corey trains twice a week after school at his club; as well as that he does a six-kilometre run on Mondays

Every weekend from now until February is booked up with an athletics event, and on weekends when he has not got a race he does a 5km park run one day followed by a 6km run the next

Gruelling exercise is obviously in Corey’s blood because when he was nine he completed the famous British Three Peaks

Challenge over three days together with good friend Charlie Clare from Aston-on-Trent, who is also ranked high in Britain in BMX competition and was featured in last month’s Village Voice with brother Max

But Corey’s family, mum Amanda, dad Gary and little sister Maisie are all proud of his achievements

“When you’re standing out there in the howling wind and there he comes, covered in mud

I couldn’t be prouder of him,” said Amanda

As for the future? “I would like to train with England –that would be a nice chance to have,” said Corey

– Lucy Stephens

Christmas tree carols

’TIS the season to be jolly –well, nearly anyway. This year ’s much-loved carol singing around the Christmas tree in Melbourne Market Place will take place on Thursday, December 21, starting at 6.30pm.

The Rotex-promoted event will include Melbourne Town Band to provide the musical backing

This year there will be a PA system as well.

IT’S official, a newly opened Kings Newton farm shop is one of the best in Britain

Tori & Ben’s opened in the former Chantry Farm Shop on Kings Newton Lane last month, and the Village Voice was on hand to photograph the busy launch day

Shortly after opening Tori & Ben’s were featured in a list of Britain’s top 20 farm shops in The Sunday Telegraph, published on October 22

With the only other East Midlands farm shops listed in Cambridge and Lincolnshire, the entry for Tori & Ben’s reads: “Pioneering farmers Tori and Ben Stanley are converting their arable farm into medieval parkland, complete with free-ranging Longhorn cattle and Jacob sheep

“Their new butchery and farm shop sells the award-winning meat alongside local chickens and pork, and former MasterChef finalist Sven-Hanson Britt will be cooking the meat over wood and charcoal in the outside kitchen at pop-up suppers and events ”

Shop owner Tori Stanley, who runs the business with husband Ben, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the local support and people travelling to see us Without this support we couldn’t do what we do to grow our farm

“We want to thank people for that support and hope they enjoy a warm welcome with us ”

FIELD

Three chairs for Peter!

THE ancient art of turning wood into chairs has won a local craftsman a prestigious national accolade.

Peter Wood, who runs Greenwood Days based in Spring Wood between Melbourne and Calke, is a winner in the “Best Woodland Courses” category of this year ’s awards run by the Woodlands website (www.woodlands.co.uk).

Next year will be the 20th anniversary of Greenwood Days, which Peter (pictured left) founded in 1998 with a couple of courses teaching the ancient craft of pole lathe turning

Next year the centre, which uses timber from Hazel to young Ash thinnings from the National Forest, will be running nearly forty courses from one-day tasters to week-long intensive courses.

Teaching traditional and contemporary Windsor chair making, Peter also teaches design students from Nottingham Trent University and around the country.

A double dose of live theatre coming our way

LIVE theatre makes a welcome return to Melbourne Assembly Rooms this autumn with two shows to appeal to local audiences

Manager Andy Heafield is keen to bring live theatre to the village and is hoping that this season’s plays will have wide appeal

First, on Thursday, November 30, is ‘Bette Davis on the Edge’

It is a believable portrayal of name dropper and ultimate diva, Bette Davis, reflecting on her glittering career but facing a lonely old age The play opens on October 31, 1962, at 4 30 in the morning, when Bette is waiting for the reviews of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane It’s make or break for her fading career, and she knows it

Reflecting on past glories from the Talkies to the present day, her story is the entire history of the American motion picture industry The show has a fascinating inception too Discovering that the great two-time Oscar winner placed an advertisement in a movie trade paper in 1962 asking for work, actress Christine St John decided to piece together the truth behind this astonishing fact It’s not just a meticulously researched and compelling story, but also touching and truthful and Christine performs it beautifully without ever falling into caricature

The second play, on December 7, is the awardwinning ‘Forget Me Not’, described as a “unique murder mystery”, which is performed by the author Rob Gee Rob spent 12 years working as a psychiatric nurse before becoming a full-time per-

former and writer around 10 years ago

“The play is primarily a comedy who-done-it,” Rob said The plot centres around Jim, a former detective whose wife has recently died Jim, whose mind – the tool of his trade – is starting to fail him, is determined to solve probably the most important case of his life

With hilarious turns and thought-provoking twists along the way Forget Me Not has a lot to say about how we treat and perceive people with dementia

Rob has taken his show across Canada and the USA to widespread acclaim and has just embarked on a UK tour, with Melbourne being one of 16 performance venues across the country

Rob said that he wrote the play after some particularly concerning experiences in psychiatric wards, and still feels the themes of the play are just as relevant today, with some difficult choices facing society about funding for the care of the elderly

“But most of all I wanted to write a rattlingly good comic who-done-it,” he said – Frank Hughes

THERE will be a Christmas bazaar at Milton Village Hall on Saturday, November 18, from 10am to noon Entry includes tea or coffee and a mince pie and there will be gift and cake stalls, a raffle and tombola The event is raising money for St Saviour ’s Church in Foremark

l Customer Alexey Janes has a go at chair making Pictures: STEVE BOND IMAGES

Charlie engineers an apprenticeship

A MELBOURNE teenager will be getting a valuable insight into world-leading technology after becoming the latest apprentice at an innovative engineering firm

Charlie Warrington, 19, is the newest addition to the Carfulan Group, based at its Advanced Innovation Centre in Foston near Derby – after winning an apprenticeship through the JCB Academy where he is a pupil

The Carfulan Group is a family owned business made up of engineers which supplies and services multi-sensor inspection equipment, 3D printing, tool pre-setting and measurement to companies in the aerospace, automotive, oil, gas, medical, education and 3D Design sectors

Charlie (pictured) will be spending one day a week at the company, training under 3D printing experts SYS Systems –one of the company’s four divisions

He said: “3D printing is an area I’m really interested in and I’m keen to find out a lot more about it I’ve really enjoyed it so far, it’s nice to get hands-on I’m just focusing on learning all I can about the machines and progressing forward in my career

“All the people here are very friendly, they’ve made me feel so welcome and I feel

like I’ve settled in well ”

The company currently has three other apprentices who are one year into a threeyear specialised programme, designed to develop their formal engineering knowledge and skills They must attend JCB for two of those to acquire general engineering certification, with an additional bolt-on year fol-

Having a

laugh

THE Melbourne Festival Comedy night season continues at the Royal British Legion Club on Friday, November 24, for a night promising much fun and laughter

lowing their initial training giving them an NVQ qualification

Working alongside experienced professionals, apprentices learn about health and safety, advanced mathematics, computer-aided design (CAD) software techniques and machine installation and calibration

Andrew Fulton, managing director and founder of the Carfulan Group, took the apprenticeship route out of school himself and is a big believer in its merits

He said: “Derbyshire is a globally recognised hub for manufacturing and, working with JCB and its top-class facilities, we’re only too happy to be able to invest in local talent and help nurture the next generation of engineers

“Our highly motivated young apprentices have made such a positive contribution to our operations in the past year and, thanks to hands-on learning in real-world scenarios, it’s been a pleasure to watch their confidence and skills grow

“They have so very much to give to the industry and we’re delighted that they plan to do it with us ”

The plan is for Charlie to go on to work for SYS, with the other apprentices earmarked for careers with other branches of the firm

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Headlining is the intelligent, controversially witty, hip and silly Markus Birdman Regarded by many in the know as one of the best circuit acts in the country, he has toured internationally and had highly acclaimed shows at the Edinburgh Festival His dandyish onstage confidence, versatility and infectious nature result in a truly absorbing performance

Supporting will be ‘Brummie’ Andy White With his mad afro and daft voices he delivers a mix of topical and observational humour His lively persona can change from cheeky and upbeat to deadpan, without a flinch

Completing the line-up will be the witty and eloquent Ant Dewson, with his musical comedy feast and rhyming riot Compere for the night is Perrier Award Nominee Simon Bligh, his cheerful chatty style and crazy storytelling immediately strikes a chord with his audiences

Concert dates

MELBOURNE Operatic Society is busy rehearsing for its Christmas concerts – and raising money for the homeless at the same time

The concerts are being held on December 9 at St Edward’s Church Hall, Castle Donington, and Friday, December 15, at Melbourne Assembly Rooms

On December 1, at Asda in Spondon, the society is performing a small repertoire from its forthcoming Christmas concerts to support the Padley Centre in Derby

A registered charity run by volunteers and dependent on fund-raising activities and charitable donations, the Padley Centre helps the homeless and vulnerable adults in Derby such as those with learning difficulties, physical disabilities, mental health problems and drug and alcohol problems

The centre receives very little or no funding at all from central or local government; fund-raising is crucial to its existence Members of the society would appreciate your support by attending the events

Christmas at Calke Abbey

From holiday events and visits to meet Father Christmas to seasonal treats in the restaurant and wintry walks in the parkland, there’s something to get everyone in the festive mood at Calke Abbey. Visit our website for more information on all that’s happening this Christmas.

… Father Christmas comes to Calke! Join us for a magical, lantern lit evening in the Stableyard to get into the festive spirt. Then visit Father Christmas in his magical grotto on select dates throughout December – tell him how good you’ve been and he will have an early Christmas present for you. Booking in advance is essential to avoid disappointment.

’Tis the Season

Get set for Christmas at a range of food fairs and gift markets, including magical evening events, Once you’re all stocked up, treat yourself to a hot chocolate and a mince pie, or indulge in a festive three-course lunch in the restaurant.

Take a stroll around Calke

Enjoy the freedom to explore Calke Park on one of the many marked routes around the ancient leads are welcome in the garden as we trial opening the pleasure grounds throughout the winter.

By becoming a member of the National Trust, you help us to protect the country’s heritage and landscape, while enjoying free entry to over 500 places. Here at Calke Abbey, membership supports our conservation work both in the house and gardens, as well as the internationally important protected parkland.

Calke Abbey winter opening

Restaurant & Shop: daily 10.00 – 16.00 Park & National Nature Reserve: daily 7.30 – 19.30

House: closed Gardens : daily, 11.00 – 15.00

Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/calke for more information

Normal park admission applies to all visitors. For more information on what’s on at Calke this Christmas please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/calke or telephone 01332 863822

www.facebook.com/NTCalkeAbbey

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Holden stars as RFC 1st XV gets opening win

MELBOURNE RFC 1st XV secured their first win of the season (31-12) over Sutton Coldfield on a wet afternoon at Cockshut Lane

Two early tries from Tom Howard and Chris Stark were cancelled out by Sutton Coldfield with two long range efforts

Melbourne took control in the second half with MOTM Euan Holden at the heart of everything Further tries from Dan Walker and Gary Lakin secured the bonus point win, with Holden contributing 11 points

After a week off and injuries to Bullock and Howard with Pearce still not healed, Melbourne travelled to Wolverhampton with a much-changed back line A 27-27 draw was the result in a game Melbourne should have won Tries for Melbourne came from Page, Hancock and Martin with Holden contributing 12 points

Top of the table Bromsgrove arrived at Cockshut Lane at the same time as Storm Brian Melbourne had to make numerous changes with Benstead and Livesey returning On a windy, but thankfully dry day, Bromsgrove showed why they are top of the league with three sharply taken tries

Melbourne were competitive throughout, though, and finished strongly, but could not take anything from the game

Two tries from Page and Lockhart and a conversion from Holden saw the game end at 1226 to Bromsgrove Will Judge suffered a broken ankle late on MOTM: James Benstead

The 2nd XV travelled to Loughborough lacking a bit of

Minibus trips

forward power but competed well against a strong team

A topsy-turvy first half saw 10 tries from both sides Ilott, Bullock, Lawson, Stringer, and Brill all scored with Hancock converting two Loughborough ran away with the last 15 mins to win 46-29 as Melbourne dropped to 14 men

The next pennant game saw the arrival of Long Eaton seconds Played with a stiff breeze on a glorious day, the first 30 mins were scoreless with Melbourne missing a couple of chances

Into the wind, Melbourne finally got on the scoresheet, and the floodgates opened Playing

as a team, with a good bench, the 2nd XV ran out 57-7 winners with tries from Bilson (2), Lawson (2), Mallett, Ballington, Hollingsworth and Macken

Dale converted eight from nine kicks Dronfield seconds arrived and, despite bossing up front, went away empty handed as Melbourne won 34-17 with tries for Bilson (2), Bancroft, Lawson and Vincent Bilson contributed the rest with the boot

The 3rd XV results were: Melbourne 28, Cresswell 17; Melbourne 20, Chesterfield 6; Melbourne 15, Notts Corsairs 43; Ilkeston Development 48, Melbourne 19

The Academy team lost 22-12 to Burton

Top award for sailor

HRH The Princess Royal, president of the Royal Yachting Association, will present a Staunton Harold Sailing Club member with one of the RYA’s most prestigious awards

Mark Harden will receive an RYA Outstanding Contribution Award, for individuals who have made a significant volunteer contribution either over a period of time or a ‘one-off ’ effort, at the RYA’s annual awards ceremony at One Great George Street, London on November 24

l Melbourne 2nd XV prior to their 34-17 win in their game against Dronfield 2s in the midst of Storm Brian Back row (l-r): Jonny Vincent, Josh Mallett, Stefan Greenhalgh, Jake Ballington, Craig Ilott, Jordan Sparkes, Max Lowson, Guy Cooper, Jordan Gale; front row: Chris Wiseall, Danny Lawson, Dale Bilson, Rob Foster (capt), Jake Walker, Joe Bancroft and Morris Hall

Fraser a black belter

A MELBOURNE teenager has gained a muchcoveted black belt in Wado Ryu karate, having attended regular classes for nearly a decade.

Fraser Howat, 13, has been going to Mark Rotherham’s karate class in Melbourne Assembly Rooms since he was four and a half

In karate, students must undertake a certain number of hours of training and demonstrate the different moves and sequences called ‘katas’ in order to progress through the different belt gradings

Fraser has been for classes every week; starting on white belt, he has moved through red, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, brown, brown and white plus brown and black before achieving his first dan black belt But this is far from the end as there are nine more black belts, up to tenth dan

Karate ‘Sensei’ Mark is currently working toward his sixth dan

Fraser, a year 9 pupil at Chellaston Academy, also plays football for the school as well as Melbourne

United and AFC Chellaston, is a keen runner, plays the piano and is preparing for his grade eight on the trombone

So why karate? “It’s really good exercise, I just really enjoy it,” said Fraser

Hot on Fraser ’s heels, sister Katie, 11, is currently on her brown and white belt

“I went along to his first karate session and I was really impressed,” said Fraser and Katie’s mum Morag

“I was initially worried about Fraser learning ‘fighting’ (age four!) but it is all about control, co-ordination and discipline Mark keeps them all in order but it is really good fun too ”

Mark’s Maximum Response Karate and Self Defence Academy has so far seen nearly 80 people achieve their black belt since he started it in the year 2000

Fraser is pictured (right) with his black belt and Mark Rotherham, and (left) in red belt action

FLOODLIT CUP WINNERS

KINGS Newton Bowls Club took part in and won the final of the South Derbyshire Floodlit League Cup, which was played at Rowditch on a wet evening, against Littleover third team

Littleover plays in a higher league than Kings Newton and therefore had to give Kings Newton a 20-shot start due to the handicap system

However, the handicap did not come into account as Kings Newton got off to a good start and went on to win five of the eight games to run out winners by 43 shots

Meanwhile, the club has held its final competition of the season, the

floodlit singles

The competition had a lot of entrants this year and, after some excellent bowling on a lovely late afternoon, Neil Hill triumphed over Rob Philipson in the final

Back row (l-r) Stephen Raine, Gayle Summerlin, Pat Philipson, Janet Jardine, Graham Leech, Roger Timmins, Ben Roe, Dave Lyons, Alan Bradley, Bert Maddock; front row: Bernard Raine, Terry Summerlin, Rob Philipson, Ian Jardine, Pete Balfour, Neil Hill Not pictured are Cynthia Bailey and Alan Holbrook.

Alma reprieve for the darts league

GREAT news for darts players – the Melbourne Darts League has been resurrected and will now be based at The Alma Inn

Last month we reported that the competition, which used to operate from the Royal British Legion, had closed completely from the end of October

But it has now been born again from the ashes after Tim Daniels and Matt Clayton – head chef at Amalfi White – decided to take it on

Matt said he decided to keep the league going after playing for the last couple of seasons

“I just really enjoyed it,” he said “It’s a good social event ”

The league does run prizes and would welcome more players and spectators wanting to see the game in action

Two darts boards have been set up in a function room at The Alma by landlord Martin Quilliam, who said: “I believe the darts league used to be here and it’s nice to welcome them back It’s a good social game, it’s making use of a function room that’s adjacent to the bar and welcoming players old and new

“I look forward to some good competition ”

Matt thanked Martin for agreeing to be a new home for Melbourne Darts League

Anyone interested in joining can contact Matt on 07411 671 251 or Tim on 07855 817 947 The league will play at The Alma Inn on Mondays from 7 30pm

GOLD RESERVES FOR DYNAMO

MELBOURNE Dynamo Reserves continued their superb run of form through the month of October, winning all three matches.

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Before the first game, away against Newhall Development, Dynamo were presented with the award of MRA (Midlands Regional Alliance) Division Two team of the month after winning all four of their games in September

A brace from leading scorer Joe Shadbolt plus a goal from fellow strike partner Harry Foxon saw the Reserves win 3-2 as they topped their divisional league in the cup They secured a semi-final place a week later with a 2-0 home win against Derby Athletic, thanks to goals from Toby Foxon and Andy Shephard

The Reserves ended the month with a 9-

0 home thumping of South Normanton United with Shadbolt leading the way again with a hat-trick Adam Dolman, Harry Foxon, Ash Smith, Scott Radley, Andy Shephard and Reuben Gosling completed the rout

Melbourne Dynamo first team had a difficult month, losing three of their five games

They began October with a 5-3 home loss to Newhall United in the divisional cup with a double from Danny Guild plus a Dave Brough finish getting the consolation goals

A good all-round team performance followed as Dynamo beat Hilton Harriers Reserves 9-2 in the second round of the Derbyshire Cup with a brace from Jack Goodband leading the way Dom Hurst,

Bradley Ellis, Danny Guild, Tom Ballard, Carl Allsop, Dave Brough and Alex Slater completed the convincing scoreline

A 4-3 away defeat to Derby Singh Brothers in the league was tough on Gav Salisbury’s men as missed chances were the order of the day, despite goals from Jack Goodband, Danny Guild and Dave Brough

And it didn t get any better the week after as a long trip to Rowsley 86 proved fruitless, the current league champions beating Dynamo 2-0

The first team ended the month with a hard fought 3-1 home victory over Chesterfield Town in the league Dave Worger, Tom Ballard and Carl Allsop got on the scoresheet to leave them in a healthy third place in the league going into November – Alex Slater

Rewards for our sporting stars

FROM ice skating to table tennis, rugby to tennis – sports stars and clubs from Melbourne and Ticknall have been crowned for their high achievements in the Active South Derbyshire awards.

The awards, held at The Pingle School in Swadlincote, saw Melbourne ice skater Alex Lewsey handed a major prize, alongside Melbourne Junior School’s Connie Dumelow

Alex, of Melbourne, is a member of synchronised skaters Team Icicles, won gold at the Wales and West Wales Synchronised Skating Competition and silver in Belgium at the ISU (International Skating Union) Winter Cup. She shared the accolade of Sportswoman of the Year with Swadlincote motocross champion Skye Adams

Connie, 10, is the Derbyshire Schools under-11 table tennis champion and scooped the Junior Sportswoman of the Year award

It was a great night for Melbourne Junior School, which also came runner-up for Junior Team of the Year in both the girls’ football and cricket teams and are South Derbyshire sports champions of the year

Ticknall Junior Cricket Club, meanwhile, were joint winners of the Community Award with Hilton Youth Group, while Melbourne Rugby Club was lauded with Club of the Year.

l Melbourne Dynamo Reserves (back row, l-r: Duane McClellan (manager), Ryan McLaughlin, Adam Dolman, Andy Shephard, Joe Shadbolt, Dan Toon, Ashley Smith, James Bennison, Alex O'Brian; front row: Scott Radley, Toby Foxon, Harry Foxon, Andy Macklin, Paul Lakin, Vinny Hallifield and Alex Slater.